Will you listen to His voice?

Today was a much simpler day and a very peaceful day. Our morning reflection today reflected on Jesus being the fulfilment of Moses...

The Beatitudes is perhaps the most well known passage of the Gospels, but this is just part of his Sermon on the Mount where Jesus becomes the interpreter of the Law. While Moses received the Ten Commandments Jesus interprets them and reveals a deeper spiritual level to them

When we think of the Commandments they start off with those relating to our relationship to God, then we are told to honour our mother and father who as parents are images of God who give us life and love. Then we have the prohibition of actions, not killing, committing adultery or stealing, for each of these actions destroy life, relationships and dignity. And then the Commandments end with our thoughts, don't covet or lust after your neighbours spouse or goods. Looking at them going backwards they are suggesting get your thoughts right, then your actions will be right, and then your relationships will be right.

But it is Jesus who takes the Commandments - You have heard how it was said, but I say this to you... Go deeper, to the spirit of the Commandment...

Jesus said to his disciples: 'Do not imagine that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have come not to abolish them but to complete them. I tell you solemnly, till heaven and earth disappear, not one dot, one little stroke, shall disappear from the Law until its purpose is achieved. Therefore, the one who infringes even one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be considered the least in the kingdom of heaven; but the one who keeps them and teaches them will be considered great in the kingdom of heaven.

'For I tell you, if your virtue goes no deeper than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven.

'You have learnt how it was said to our ancestors: You must not kill; and if anyone does kill he must answer for it before the court. But I say this to you: anyone who is angry with brother or sister will answer for it before the court; if anyone calls their brother or sister "Fool" they will answer for it before the Sanhedrin; and if anyone calls them "Renegade" they will answer for it in hell fire. So then, if you are bringing your offering to the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar, go and be reconciled with your brother or sister first, and then come back and present your offering. Come to terms with your opponent in good time while you are still on the way to the court with him, or he may hand you over to the judge and the judge to the officer, and you will be thrown into prison. I tell you solemnly, you will not get out till you have paid the last penny…

'You have learnt how it was said: You must love your neighbour and hate your enemy. But I say this to you: love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you; in this way you will be sons of your Father in heaven, for he causes his sun to rise on bad men as well as good, and his rain to fall on honest and dishonest men alike. For if you love those who love you, what right have you to claim any credit? Even the tax collectors do as much, do they not? And if you save your greetings for your brothers, are you doing anything exceptional? Even the pagans do as much, do they not? You must therefore be perfect just as your heavenly Father is perfect.'

Matthew 5:17-26, 43-48

And so Jesus becomes the new Moses who speaks with his own authority as the Son of God... but the weakness of his authority is that he doesn't force us to listen. He doesn't take away our freedom of choice.

We then arrived at the beautiful Mount of the Beatitudes where he gave his teaching that is known as the Sermon on the Mount...

Seeing the crowds, Jesus went up the hill. There he sat down and was joined by his disciples. Then he began to speak. This is what he taught them: 

Blessed are the poor in spirit;
theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are the gentle:
they shall have the earth for their heritage.
Blessed are those who mourn:
they shall be comforted.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for what is right:
they shall be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful;
they shall have mercy shown them.
Blessed are the pure in heart:
they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers:
they shall be called children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted in the cause of right:
theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

'Blessed are you when people abuse and persecute you and speak all kinds of calumny against you on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.'
Matthew 5:1-12

Who is your teacher? 

Our world teaches us, Blessed are those who lust after wealth, but they shall never be satisfied
Instead, Jesus says to you, Blessed are the poor in spirit; theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Our world teaches us, Blessed are those they walk over people to get what they want, they will never be respected.
Instead Jesus says to you, Blessed are the gentle: they shall have the earth for their heritage.

Our world teaches us, Blessed are those who are indifferent to the sanctity of life and love, they will be become bitter and sad.
Instead, Jesus says to you, Blessed are those who mourn:they shall be comforted.

Our world says, Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for what is good for them and what they think is right: they shall live in the isolation of their self-centredness with cynicism and bitterness.
Instead, Jesus says to you, Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for what is right: they shall be satisfied.

Our world says, Blessed are those who judge, point the finger and accuse, they will live within the walls of the divisions they create.
Instead, Jesus says to you, Blessed are the merciful; they shall have mercy shown them.

Our world says, Blessed are those who enjoy pornography and promiscuity, there hearts will be broken and hardened.
Instead, Jesus says to you, Blessed are the pure in heart: they shall see God.

Our world says, Blessed are the warmongers, they shall maime, bring misery and kill, like in Ukraine 
Instead, Jesus says to you, Blessed are the peacemakers: they shall be called children of God.

Our world says, Blessed are those who are indifferent to the those who cry out in the world, they will create a sadder world. 
Instead, Jesus says to you, Blessed are those who are persecuted in the cause of right: theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Our world says, Blessed are those who use the name of Jesus Christ as swear words and mock those who believe, they silence his voice and deaden consciences
Instead, Jesus says to you, 'Blessed are you when people abuse and persecute you and speak all kinds of calumny against you on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.'

Who is your teacher? 

The one who teaches the Beatitudes is the one who reveals that attitudes that should be in our hearts.

Will you listen to his voice?

The saddest sign at the Mount of the Beatitudes... that people would carry guns here?

Our next stop was to beautiful Greek Orthodox church at Capernaum with its stunning icons. It was a beautiful place of reflection and contemplation to enter into the spirit of this place and the very mystery of God.

"It is the Lord" - John 21:1-8

'Come and have breakfast' - John :21-9-19

'From now on it is people you will catch' - Luke 5:1-11

'Seeing their faith' - Luke 5:17-26

We then visited a local museum to see a first century fishing boat found in the Sea of Galilee in 1986 by brothers Moshe and Yuval Lufan, fishermen from Kibbutz Ginnosar. The brothers were keen amateur archaeologists with an interest in discovering artifacts from Israel's past. It had always been their hope to one day discover a boat in the Sea of Galilee, where they and generations of their family had fished. When drought reduced the water-level of the lake the first found some old nails and then the wood of the boat. 

The brothers reported their discovery to the authorities who sent out a team of archaeologists to investigate. The team realised that the remains of the boat were of tremendous historical importance.  Excavating the boat from the mud without damaging it, quickly enough to extract it before the water rose again, was a difficult process which lasted 12 days and nights. The ancient wood was extremely fragile when exposed to the atmosphere and the boat had to be rescued from the place it was found by wrapping it in a mantle of fiberglass and insulating foam, which helped with both keeping it together, and floating it to its new location. It was then submerged in a wax bath for 12 years, which protected the boat before it could be displayed at the Yigal Allon Galilee Boat Museum in Kibbutz Ginosar.

We then set sail in our own boat, the Noah, for Mass, a Miha Māori on the Sea of Galilee

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was a formless void, there was darkness over the deep, and God's spirit hovered over the water. God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light. God saw that light was good, and God divided light from darkness. God called light 'day', and darkness 'night'. Evening came and morning came: the first day.

God said, 'Let there be a vault in the waters to divide the waters in two.' And so it was. God made the vault, and it divided the water above the vault from the waters under the vault. God called the vault 'heaven'. Evening came: the second day.

God said, 'Let the waters under heaven come together into a single mass, and let dry land appear.' And so it was. God called the dry land 'earth' and the mass of waters 'seas', and God saw that it was good.

God said, 'Let the earth produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants, and fruit trees bearing fruit with their seed inside, on the earth.' And so it was. The earth produced vegetation:  plants bearing seed in their several kinds, and trees bearing fruit with their see inside in their several kinds. God saw that it was good. Evening came and morning came: the third day.

Genesis 1:1-13

With the coming of evening, Jesus said to his disciples, 'Let us cross over to the other side.'  And leaving the crowd behind they took him, just as he was, in the boat; and there were other boats with him.  Then it began to blow a gale and the waves were breaking into the boat so that it was almost swamped.  But he was in the stern, his head on the cushion, asleep.  They woke him and said to him, 'Master, do you not care?  We are going down!'  And he woke up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, 'Quiet now!  Be calm!'  And the wind dropped, and all was calm again.  Then he said to them, 'Why are you so frightened?  How is it that you have no faith?'  They were filled with awe and said to one another, 'Who can this be?  Even the wind and the sea obey him.'

Mark 4:35-41

"Who can this? Even the wind and the sea obey him." Moses parted the sea, but Jesus walked on water. God spoke over the dark waters and there was light. Jesus spoke and the sea was calmed. For the Jews the sea was the great symbol of chaos. That is the image of the Genesis account, darkness, waves, wind, and then God spoke and creation came forth. It's know wonder the disciples were filled with awe. Not only today did we have Jesus presenting himself as the fulfilment of Moses. He is presenting himself as God.

In the storms of our lives it might often seem Jesus is asleep and indifferent to our fears. Our challenge is not to buy into the fears... not to lose faith... That even if also seems lost we will pull through in some way. For Jesus the storm he face was crucifixion. He had to confront his fears and sense of abandonment by the Father but in it all he kept his eyes on the one he called Abba Father. And from the drakness of death he heard the call Let there be life! And he rose.

Will you listen to his voice?

After a fish lunch of St Peter's fish some of us braved the cool waters of the Sea of Galilee. Each of our days ends with a reflection time on the day.

The concluding prayer today is the hymn I have chosen to be the recessional hymn at my funeral... 

Be still, my soul; the Lord is on your side;

bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;

leave to your God to order and provide;

in ev'ry change he faithful will remain.

Be still, my soul; your best, your heav’nly friend

through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

Be still, my soul; your God will undertake

to guide the future as he has the past;

your hope, your confidence, let nothing shake;

all now mysterious shall be bright at last.

Be still, my soul; the waves and winds still know

his voice who ruled them while he lived below.

Be still, my soul; when dearest friends depart

and all is darkened in the vale of tears,

then you will better know his love, his heart,

who comes to soothe your sorrows and your fears.

Be still, my soul; your Jesus can repay

from his own fullness all he takes away.

Be still, my soul; the hour is hast'ning on

when we shall be forever with the Lord,

when disappointment, grief, and fear are gone,

sorrow forgot, love's purest joys restored.

Be still my soul; when change and tears are past,

all safe and blessed we shall meet at last.

To be converted or not to be converted? That is the question

Today we were mainly in the Galilee area visiting Magdala, Chorazin and Capernaum following the early days of Jesus' ministry of announcing the Goof News of the Kingdom of God being close at hand. 

After John had been arrested, Jesus went into Galilee.  There he proclaimed the Good News from God.  'The time has come' he said 'and the kingdom of God is close at hand.  Repent, and believe the Good News.'

- Mark 1:14-20

When Jesus says to "Repent" - We often think of this as just expressing deep sorrow for our sins. But the Greek word for repent, metanoia, implies much more. Jesus is calling us to a conversion of heart... again not just a simple statement of confessing faith in Jesus, rather a whole change of heart so that our hearts beat with his - we not only believe the Good News, we live, it we embody it. 

Our day today met some who experienced such conversion - and some who didn't. 

The bride says this:

On my bed, at night, I sought him whom my heart loves.

I sought but did not find him.

So I will rise and go through the City;

in the streets and the squares I will seek him who my heart loves.

I sought but did not find him.

The watchmen came upon me on their rounds in the City:

"Have you seen who my heart loves?"

Scarcely had I passed them than I found him whom my heart loves.

Song of Songs 3:1-4

It was very early on the first day of the week and still dark, when Mary of Magdala came to the tomb. She saw that the stone had been moved away from the tomb and came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved. 'They have taken the Lord out of the tomb' she said 'and we don't know where they have put him.'

So Peter set out with the other disciple to go to the tomb. They ran together, but the other disciple, running faster than Peter, reached the tomb first; he bent down and saw the linen cloths lying on the ground, but did not go in. Simon Peter who was following now came up, went right into the tomb, saw the linen cloths on the ground, and also the cloth that had been over his head; this was not with the linen cloths but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple who had reached the tomb first also went in; he saw and he believed. Till this moment they had failed to understand the teaching of scripture, that he must rise from the dead. The disciples then went home again.

Meanwhile Mary stayed outside near the tomb, weeping. Then, still weeping, she stooped to look inside, and saw two angels in white sitting where the body of Jesus had been, one at the head, the other at the feet. They said, "Woman, why are you weeping?" "They have taken my Lord away" she replied "and I don't know where they have put him." As she said this she turned round and saw Jesus standing there, though she did not recognise him. Jesus said, "Woman why are you weeping ? Who are you looking for?" Supposing him to be the gardener, she said, "Sir, if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and remove him." Jesus said, Mary!" She knew him then and said to hi in Hebrew, "Rabbuni!"-which means Master. Jesus said to her, "Do not cling to me, because I have not yet ascended to my Father. But go and find the brothers and tell them: I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God." So Mary of Magdala went and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord and that he had said these things to her.

- John 20:1-18

Mary of Magdala knew the love Jesus had for her. She knew of her love for him too for he had freed her from seven demons. It was this ardent love then led her to join Jesus and the disciples on the road, the hikoi to Jerusalem. It was this ardent love that led her to the cross and to the tomb after the disciples who had betrayed, denied and abandoned Jesus. It was this ardent love that led her to the tomb that first Easter morning. And after Peter and John had seen the empty tomb, believed and gone again, it was her  ardent love that kept her at the the tomb. 

But Jesus knew that ardent love would encourage Mary to cling to him... our faith can never be just about our relationship with him... it has to be shared... go and find the brothers and tell them: I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God. So Mary of Magdala, the most unlikely of people, becomes the one to choose to become the Apostle to the Apostles. She teaches us faith, ardent love and mission go hand in hand. 

May we too have that ardent love of Jesus and like Mary seek him and share his Good News for the life of the world.

It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation,

always and everywhere to give you thanks,

Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God,

whose mercy is no less than His power,

to preach the Gospel to everyone, through Christ, our Lord.

In the garden He appeared to Mary Magdalene,

who loved him in life, 

who witnessed his death on the cross

who sought him as he lay in the tomb

who was the first to adore him when he rose from the dead,

and whose apostolic duty was honoured by the apostles

that the good news of life might reach the ends of the earth.

And so Lord, with all the Angels and Saints,

we, too, give you thanks and praise

One of the features of the church of Duc in Altum (Put out into the Deep) are its various features... the icons of the apostles...

The miracles Jesus worked in the area depicted in the various chapels

And my favourite, the healing of the woman with haemorrage. The floor of the chapel is the ancient Via Maris (Way to the Sea), the State Highway 1 of Jesus' times, a road he would have walked on

Mary of Magdala and Jesus

The archaeological site of Magdala was only discovered in 2006. Magdala was the most important town on the Sea of Galilee in Jesus time with about 6000 people. This is an ancient mikveh, ritual purifying bath in a home.

The Synagogue

From Magdala to Chorazin, one of three towns that Jesus "cursed" 

Jesus said to his disciples: 'Alas for you, Chorazin! Alas for you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.  And still, it would not go as hard with Tyre and Sidon, at the judgement as with you.  And as for you, Caperaum, did you want to be exalted high as heaven? You shall be thrown down to hell.

'Anyone who listens to you listens to me; anyone who rejects you rejects me, and those who reject me reject the one who sent me.'
Luke 10:13-16

None of these towns survive today. They are all just archaeological sites.

We reflected how easy it is to reject Jesus and not to recognise the signs around us. The more that happens the more community and society suffers as we become more self-absorbed with our own self rather than the common good and as we lose site of our spiritual dimensions. But even as Christians and Catholics we can do this forming community centred around particular viewpoints and losing site of the radical call of the Gospel and the true nature of the Church.

The remains of a house in Chorazin. As one of the group suggested, these archaeological sites are like a great mixed box of lego with no plans

It was hot, about 30 degrees

The remains of a 3rd century synagogue

The olive press

Imagine a sower going to sow.  Now it happened that as he sowed, some of the seed fell on the edge of the path, and the birds came and ate it up.  Some seed fell on rocky ground where it found little soil and sprang up straightaway, because there was no depth of earth; and when the sun came up it was scorched and, not having any roots, it withered away.  Some seeds fell into thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it produced no crop.  And some seed fell into rich soil and, growing tall and strong, produced crop; and yielded thirty, sixty, even a hundredfold.'  And he said,  'Listen, anyone has ears to hear!' - This is the rocky ground Jesus was talking about

Jesus went down to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and taught them on the sabbath.  And his teaching made a deep impression on them because he spoke with authority.

As Jesus went down to Capernaum so did we...

In the synagogue there was a man who was possessed by the spirit of an unclean devil, and it shouted at the top of its voice, 'Ha! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth?  Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are: the Holy One of God.'  But Jesus said sharply, 'Be quiet!  Come out of him!'  And the devil throwing the man down in front of everyone, went out of him without hurting him at all.  Astonishment seized them and they were all saying to one another, 'What teaching!  He gives orders to unclean spirits with authority and power and they come out.'  And reports of him went all through the surrounding countryside.
- Luke 4:31-37

We all have demons, maybe not in the possessed sense here, but things that possess are that we are afraid of surrendering to Jesus. It might be wealth or possessions... an addiction of some kind... an inability to hold a viewpoint other than my own. And we can become afraid of exposing them to Jesus because we are afraid he might destroy us... but instead Jesus wants to bring liberation from demons so that we might have life and have it to the full. 

The 4th century synagogue in Capernaum...

It was built on the 1st century synagogue and you can see the remains of it with the black basalt stone

Leaving the synagogue Jesus went to Simon's house.  Now Simon's mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever and they asked him to do something for her.  Leaning over her he rebuked the fever and it left her.  And she immediately got up and began to wait on them.

At sunset all those who had friends suffering from diseases of one kind or another brought them to him, and laying hands on each he cured them.  Devils too came out of many people, howling, 'You are the Son of God.'  But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak because they knew that he was the Christ.
- Luke 4:38-41

Simon Peter's house... I presume he was happy that Jesus healed his mother-in-law... and I;m sure all the husbands prayed for their mother-in-laws here.

When daylight came he left the house and made his way to a lonely place.  The crowds went to look for him, and when they had caught up with him they wanted to prevent him leaving them, but he answered, 'I must proclaim the Good News of the kingdom of God to the other towns too, because that is what I was sent to do.'  And he continued his preaching in the synagogues of Judaea.
- Luke 4:42-44

Jesus was standing one day by the Lake of Genesaret, with the crowd pressing round him listening to the word of God, when he caught sight of two boats close to the bank.  The fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets.  He got into one of the boats - it was Simon's - and asked him to put out a little from the shore.  Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat.

When he had finished speaking he said to Simon, 'Put out into deep water and pay out your nets for a catch.'  'Master,' Simon replied 'we worked hard all night long and caught nothing, but if you say so, I will pay out the nets.'  And when they had done this they netted such a huge number of fish that their nets began to tear, so they signalled to their companions in the other boat to come and help them; when these came, they filled the two boats to sinking point.

When Simon Peter saw this he fell at the knees of Jesus saying, 'Leave me Lord; I am a sinful man.'  For he and all his companions were completely over come by the catch they had made; so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were Simon's partners.  But Jesus said to Simon, 'Do not be afraid; from now on it is people you will catch.'  Then, bringing their boats back to land, they left everything and followed him.
- Luke 5:1-11

Peter the expert fisherman, who knew you didn't catch fish in the Sea of Galilee in the day. He'd worked hard all night... he'd just finished cleaning the nets, "But if you say so" he said with little enthusiasm. The Lord is always asking us to put out into the deep. It's like any relationship, if you don't go deeper the relationship stagnates and maybe even dies. So too with faith and sharing of faith. Is the Lord worth the risk? Peter knew Jesus has healed his mother-in-law so maybe that was enough to "humour" Jesus in responding to his request.

But to his surprise Peter netted a catch far beyond anything he had experienced before and it was this that brought Peter to his knees confessing his unworthiness. But Jesus was sure in his choice and so began Peter's great journey of conversion. Like Peter we need to be converted each day. It is not a one day deal. Everyday there are new things to learn in our relationship with the Lord as he opens and expands our hearts and minds as he calls each of us saying "Follow me".

Our final stop of the day was to Mount Tabor, the Mount of the Transfiguration.

The Elijah Chapel

The Moses Chapel

Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain where they could be alone. There in their presence he was transfigured: his face shone like the sun and his clothes became as white as the light. Suddenly Moses and Elijah appeared to them; they were talking with him. Then Peter spoke to Jesus. 'Lord,' he said 'it is wonderful for us to be here; if you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.' He was still speaking when suddenly a bright cloud covered them with shadow, and from the cloud there came a voice which said, 'This is my Son, the Beloved; he enjoys my favour. Listen to him.' When they heard this, the disciples fell on their faces, overcome with fear. But Jesus came up and touched them. 'Stand up,' he said 'do not be afraid.' And when they raised their eyes they saw no one but only Jesus. As they came down from the mountain Jesus gave them this order, 'Tell no one about the vision until the Son of Man has risen from the dead.'

- Mt 17:1-9

Peter's enthusiasm and impetuous is wonderful. Let's stay just where we are - let's build three tents. Wouldn't it be marvellous when we have special moments in our daily lives or relationships and be able to stay there. But we can't do that. We always have to come down the mountain and be grounded in reality of our daily lives. But such moments of encounters are graces... they give us courage and strenght in our hard times and for Peter, James and John this glimpse of glory was to strengthen them  for the cross. 

And then, once again, we met the divine cloud, the Shekhinah that we had met with the people of Israel in the wilderness and at Nazareth. Surrounding us the Divine Cloud enshrouds us in mystery and reminds us to look to Jesus, to listen to him. It's quite bizzare isn't it? We lose our perspective in fog or cloud. But on a clear day we see clearly. Perhaps the voice is saying - actually, perhaps in your daily living you are in a cloud without the true perspective and it is only when you truly embrace the life of God that you can see clearly.

Before we left the church we sang a waiata, as we do at each church, this time Mo Maria. Even though the church is massive our voices seemed to filled it.

May God be praised in all things

and in all hearts